Culture and Leisure Magazine (Dec 07) Southern women know jewelry But the pieces by acclaimed designer MARGARET ELLIS are anything but grandmother’s strand of pearls. Margaret’s is a name long synonymous with sculptural, art-inspired jewelry and she focuses on one-of-a-kind pieces in 22-karat gold with unusual stones and pearls. For years a favorite of Nashville’s elite, Margaret is now recognized nationally. The road to finding her stunning success is a winding and colorful one. Margaret grew up an only child in what she calls “a rather unstable domestic situation.” “I read a lot,” She says, “and was fascinated with the world beyond my borders. I discovered early on that I had a creative drive, but never understood how to channel it.” In college, she majored in art and fell in love with painting. She moved to Nashville with her first husband and took a job teaching art to support him while he worked toward a master’s degree. “The marriage ended before his PhD, and I was still in a job that wasn’t my life’s calling,” she says. “I just didn’t know what that calling was.” During the early 1970s, profoundly affected by the Women’s Movement, she received a master’s degree in counseling. She took a year off from teaching to try to discover what she really wanted. “It was during this year that I first learned to make jewelry,” she says. “I realized pretty soon that this was my personal form of creative expression.” “I was not an overnight success. The first years were pretty hard, but I had a driv and determination that still amazes me.” By the end of that year Margaret had to return to teaching. She also purchased a small studio and spent her weekends and afternoons there, creating jewelry. Later she bought a fixer-upper in Nashville’s Belmont neighborhood. “I was what was known as an urban pioneer,” she recalls. “At that time the street was pretty edgy, but I was able to get the down payment together and fix up the house literally with masking tape.” She soon met her then-neighbor and now husband for the past 26 years, Fred Ellis. They married in 1981 and two years later, with Fred’s support, Margaret gave up teaching to create jewelry full-time. “I was not an overnight success,” she says. “The first years were pretty hard, but I had a drive and determination that still amaze me.” While originally focusing her jewelry toward the fashion market, her pieces have gradually become more art-oriented. Margaret Ellis Jewelry has been featured in major fashion magazines and sold in high-end department stores and specialty boutiques. It was featured in the iconic TV series Sex and the City and the recent film, The Devil Wears Prada. Her beautiful studio is located in a renovated freight warehouse building in downtown Nashville. Fred handles the business end, while a staff of three master craftspeople assists her in design and production. g e t t i n g   p e r s o n a l HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH STRESS? Laughter, yoga, a glass of wine. But not all at the same time. WHO IS YOUR PERSONAL BEAUTY ICON? Love her or hate her, I say Madonna. She has used her face and body as an art medium for years, and I have enjoyed watching the changes. IF YOU COULD CHOOSE A PERIOD OF TIME TO LIVE IN BECAUSE OF ITS LOOK WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE? I love the look of the 1940’s, but I like the freedom of expression that we have today. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON PLASTIC SURGERY? I think it’s great as long as it isn’t pulled too tight, jacked up too high, or blown up too big. IN FIVE WORDS HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR STYLE? Jeans, boots, jewelry, great bag. WHAT’S MOST SURPRISING ABOUT YOU? I honestly don’t think that people who know me are surprised by anything. I like to think that what you see is what you get. WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST REGRET? Staying in relationships and situations that needed to end long before they did. YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? Wasting my time. GREATEST INDULGENCE? Two weeks in Mexico every winter. However, this may be a necessity. WHAT POSSESSION DO YOU MOST TREASURE? Possession with a capital P: my sense of humor. With a lowercase p: I love my car, a 1992 Mercedes 500SL. It’s been around the block a few times and still looks and runs pretty good, but requires a lot of maintenance. We are very simpatico. IF YOU WERE GRANTED THREE WISHES WHAT WOULD THEY BE? 1. Equal rights for all people would become a reality. 2. The great abundance of our planet would be enjoyed by all. 3. All people would live in Divine Health. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? From my Dad. “If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.” He did a pretty good job of this. When I do, I feel much better than when I don’t. WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE FASHION DESIGNERS? Jil Sander, Donna Karan, Jenne Maag, Tehen Pol. Sarah Pacini. I like clothes to be very minimal in detail, so that I can do maximum with accessories. Shoes: Prada, Lucchese Western boots. Bags: Prada, YSL (from Tom Ford era) and Kooba. And, of course, I wear my own designs in jewelry. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT LIFE? A positive attitude is a very powerful force. WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE? Most of the talents I would like to have would take a great deal of time and discipline to perfect. But, if there were no price to pay, I’d love to be a really great dancer. IF THERE WERE ONE THING YOU COULD CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would never stand in front of the mirror and look for my faults. WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? My heroes and “sheroes” are those people who step outside the boundaries and break the rules. They are people who work for justice and for creative expression, who use their talents and resources to help others, and to help others be who they are. Joan Baez, Jane Fonda,Bono, David Bowie, Mel White, Steve Cohen, kd Lang, Margaret Cho. HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? I don’t measure success by the amount of money a person has, but rather by the satisfaction they have with their lives. It is important to understand that what you do and what you have doesn’t define who you are. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DISLIKE MOST? Factory farming and the slaughter of animals. WHICH HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST? Georgia O’Keefe WHAT MAKES YOUR HEART BEAT FASTER? When the plane lands in New York. One of the greatest blessings of my life is that my work has taken me there several times a year for many years. m y    f a v o r i t e     t h i n g s MY PHOTO: A photo that Fred took of me in Mexico a few years ago holding an iguana MY FOOD: Vegetarian MY RESTAURANT: Margot. I love the atmosphere and I love Margot’s style as well MY FILM: Hard to pick an all-time favorite. I recently was really impressed by Away From Her with Julie Christie MY ARTIST: Mark Rothko MY FLOWER: Antheriums MY SONG: “Beyond My Wildest Dreams,” written and sung by my pal, Marshall Chapman, who is also one of my all-time greatest “sheroes” MY GIFT: There was a particular Prada handbag I had really admired, in fact, lusted after. A friend that I do business with showed up with the same bag. I told her how much I liked it. She gave it to me on the spot. Wow! MY BOOK: A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham MY SOUL MATE: My husband, Fred. True to her down-to-earth attitude, Margaret now uses Nashville-area celebrities as models in her local ads, and does all of her own work-related photography. She’s introducing a jewelry collection for men as well. “I hope to continue to grow for many years to come,” she says. “It is very important to me that the work is a vehicle for growth, and not just work.” C&LM cultureleisuremag.com American Style Style Spotlight Forget those Manolo Blahniks. The Sex and the City accessories to watch for are jewelry designs by Nashville artist Margaret Ellis. Though the series has ended its run on HBO, fans of the show and its cutting-edge fashions might glimpse Ellis' designs as the show runs in syndication on TBS. In all, six pieces Ellis created were worn by Miranda, the show's cynical redhead, portrayed by Cynthia Nixon, at far left in the photo. "They always let us know in advance which pieces they were using and when," says Ellis, who was approached by the show's wardrobe reps in New York City in August 2003. One of her chalcedony and 22kt gold designs is shown here. In addition to exposure and bragging rights, Ellis received and fold-out thank you that began with the notation: "Without you we'd be naked..." N Focus Making a statement ...Exploring artisan craftsmanship has its advantages too, especially when you're looking for finishing touches like jewelry. In an era where everything is mass-produced, nothing says classically elegant like an original, handcrafted accessory. Then once you know what you're looking for, head over to the versatile and talented Margaret Ellis in Cummins Station, whose designs range from classic and understated to bold and quirky. She also develops one-of-a-kind pieces, working in 22 karat gold or mixed metals with an array of gorgeous pieces in the collection. The best thing about going off the beaten track isn't just the chance to make a statement, but to use your imagination. — Stephanie Stewart Nashville Lifestyles From rocking on to rocks of a different kind, our very own world-class jewelry designer, Margaret Ellis, is appealing to diamond-aholics for the very first time. Her products are seen in shows such as Sex In The City (yup, I'm still in mourning) and fashion forward boutiques along the lines of Jamie throughout the U.S., and even in Japan. If your style is anything like Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, or even a bit like Gwen Stefani's new edgy, sophisticated look, you'll love her new designs. But they're not your grandmother's diamond jewelry — expect her signature handcrafted 22 karat gold look embellished with vintage diamonds and pearls. She says her version of a tennis bracelet is like no other, with rose-cut diamonds floating in 10 gold squares and an organic, handmade toggle clasp, just as beautiful as the piece itself, finishing it off with flair. "It's ladylike with a wink," Margaret adds. Personally, I feel this new look will go nicely with the classic trends headed our way this fall. Speaking of our dear grandmother's jewels, if you've been blessed with gifts from bygone eras, Margaret will take those precious stones and redesign them for today. < back to news and events